Clothes Hangers and Clips Used Therewith

ABSTRACT

A clothes hanger is provided that has a fixed or attached support with clips attached which allow a user to slip the collar leaves of a button-down or other shirt into the clips.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/755,797, filed Nov. 5, 2018, titled “CLIPS ON CLOTHES HANGER TO HOLD BUTTON-DOWN SHIRT.” The entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to clothes hangers.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

One manner for hanging a collared, button-down, shirt is to button the top button of the shirt when hung on a hanger. By buttoning the top button when hung, the shirt will be less likely to fall off the hanger, in addition, the integrity of the collar is maintained. However, it may be difficult to button collared shirts when hanging after wash or use.

The present disclosure relates to a hanger or hanger attachment that reduces the need for the top button on collared shirts to be buttoned when hanging a shirt and unbuttoned when taking a collared shirt off of the hanger. The device preferably includes two clips which allow a user to slip and clip each end of a collar of the shirt into the clips where they are held in position as if the collar buttons were buttoned.

According to the present disclosure, a hanger for a shirt is provided. The hanger comprises a hanger body including at least to two rods positioned to support shoulders of a shirt; a hook coupled to the hanger body and configured to support the hanger body; a support extending down from at least one of the hanger body and hook, and a pair of clips coupled to the support.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a hanger for a shirt is provided. The hanger comprises a hanger body including at least to two rods positioned to support shoulders of a shirt; a hook coupled to the hanger body and configured to support the hanger body; a pair of clips configured to clip collar leaves of a shirt; and at least one rigid support positioned to support the clips on at least one of the hanger body and the hook.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of supporting collar leaves of a shirt is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a hanger configured to support a shirt, the hanger including a hanger body, at least two clips, and a support positioned to support the at least two clips relative to the hanger body; attaching the clips to collar leaves of a shirt; and maintaining the relative position of the clips to the hanger body during the attaching step.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Some embodiments of the disclosure are provided as an example and are not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise indicated, the components shown in the figures are proportional to one another.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a hanger according to the present disclosure having a pair of clips positioned over collars of a shirt;

FIG. 2 is a left perspective view of the hanger of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a right perspective view of the hanger of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4a-4c show alternative embodiments hangers with different manners of supporting the pair of clips with FIG. 4a showing various clip positions on a hanger with a triangular shape, FIG. 4b showing various collar clip positions on a hanger without the bottom triangular bar, and FIG. 4c showing side views of various positions of clips;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a portion of a plastic hanger with plastic clips supported from the plastic hanger with the clips configured to hold down each collar leaf of a shirt;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the hanger of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the hanger of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 5 with a shirt on the hanger, showing one collar leaf held down by a clip and another collar leaf prior to being held down by a clip;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing a user sliding the other collar leaf into a clip to be held down;

FIG. 10a is a front view of another hanger with an upside-down Y-shaped member with two clips;

FIG. 10b is a perspective view of the hanger of FIG. 10a without a hanger hook;

FIG. 10c is a side view of the hander of FIG. 10 a;

FIG. 10d is a bottom view of the hanger of FIG. 10 a;

FIG. 10e is a back perspective view of the hanger of FIG. 10 a;

FIG. 11 shows a collar management device configured to be placed over a hanger; and

FIG. 12 show a collar management device configured to be clipped onto a hanger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated by the figures or description below.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a hanger 101 includes a triangle-shaped hanger body 102 (only a portion shown), a hook 103, and a pair of clips 104. Clips 104 are suspended from hanger body 102 by a support 105 and hold down collar leaves 106 of shirt 107. Hanger body 102 may be made of plastic, metal (such as wire or other forms), wood, or other materials.

As shown in FIG. 4a , clips can be supported by various means. For example, clips 401 are supported by X-shaped supports 402. Clips 403 are supported by a vertical support 404. Clips 405 are supported by supports 406 attached to the bottom portion of the hanger triangular bar. Clips 407 are supported by supports 408 attached at an extended distance from hook 103. Clips 409 are supported by one vertical support 410 attached to the bottom hanger triangular bar. Clips 411 are supported by two supports 412 attached in the middle of the top triangular shaped bars.

As Shown in FIG. 4b , clips can be supported by various means on non-triangular hangers as well. Clips 413 are supported by two support bars 414. Clips 415 are supported by one support bar 416.

As shown in FIG. 4c (side view of hanger, clips, and support bar), the angle of attachment of support bars and clips to the hanger can vary. For example, support 417 extends down and out from the hanger body. Support 418 extends up and out from the hanger body. Support 419 includes an upper support member 420 and a lower support member 421 that extend up and out from the hanger body. Support 422 is similar to support 417, but it is provided on a hanger body without a lower bar, similar to the hanger bodies shown in FIG. 4b . Support 423 is similar to support 419, but it is provided on a hanger body without a lower bar, similar to the hanger bodies shown in FIG. 4 b.

As shown in FIGS. 5-7, a hanger 501 includes a triangle-shaped hanger body 502 (only a portion shown), a hook 503, and a pair of clips 504. Clips 504 are suspended from hanger body 502 by a support 505. Clips 504 include front clip arm 508 and back clip arm 509.

In use, a user positions shirt 510 on hanger body 502 and then slides each collar leaf 511 into clips 504 supported by support 505. Support 505 attaches to hanger body 502 at hanger location 512, underneath hanger hook 503. Front clip arm 508 and back clip arm 509 clip collar leaves 511 therebetween.

According to another alternative embodiment, a hanger 601 includes a plastic triangle-shaped hanger body 602, a hook 603, and a pair of clips 604. As shown in FIG. 10c , an angle 612 larger than zero degrees exists between a plane 613 defined by hanger body 602 and support 605. Hanger body 602 further includes a base 624 of hook 603 as shown in FIG. 10a . As shown in FIG. 10e , hanger body 602 may be hollow and optionally have ribs 610 therein.

Hook 603 is a separate component from hanger body 602 and may be made of metal or another material. Hook 603 can be screwed into or otherwise fastened to hanger body 602. As shown in FIG. 10c , clip 604 includes a front clip arm 608 and a back clip arm 609. Back clip arm 609 is configured to press against front clip arm 608 to clip collar leaves of shirts therebetween. Front clip arm 608 and back clip arm 609 each has a lower end 618 and an upper end 619 (as shown in FIG. 10b ). Upper ends 619 of the front and back clip arms 608, 609 are connected to a distal end 616 of support 605 opposite to a proximal end 615 of support 605 connected to hanger body 602. The distance between two lower end 618 of front and back clip arms 608, 609 enlarges gradually from an intermediate section of clips 604 toward an opening 614 of clips 604. Opening 614 is configured to receive the collar leaves. Further as shown in FIG. 10c , a distance between front clip arm 608 and back clip arm 609 first increases and then decreases toward distal end 616 of support 605 connected to hanger body 602.

As discussed above, clips and supports may be fixed or integral with the hanger bodies. According to alternative embodiments, the clips and supports may be separate components from the hanger bodies and attached thereto. For example as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, collar management devices 710, 810 are detachable from hanger bodies, such as those described herein and other hanger bodies. Collar management devices 710, 810 have clips 604 similar to other clips described herein.

Collar management devices 710, 810 each has supports 605, 812 configured to attach collar management devices 710, 810 to a hanger body. Collar management devices 710, 810 may be made of plastic.

As shown in FIG. 11, collar management device 710 includes a ring 712 positionable over a hook (for example hook 603) of a hanger body to attach collar management device 710 to hanger body. As shown in FIG. 12, collar management device 810 includes clasps 814 positionable to clasp to two top rods (similar to top rods 622, 623 as shown in FIG. 10b ) of a hanger body to attach collar management device 810 to the hanger body. Ring 712 and clasps 814 are supports that allow collar management devices 710, 810 to be added or removed from hanger bodies. Rods 622, 623 and the other similar rods illustrated or discussed herein are configured to support the shoulder portions of shirts 510.

For collar management device 810, support 812 is V-shaped. Two slots 816 of clasps 814 are connected to two ends of V-shaped support 812. Slots 816 are positionable to clasp to two top rods of a hanger (similar to top rods 623, 622 as shown in FIG. 10b ). Other supports may be provided for attaching collar management devices to hanger bodies such as a magnet(s), hook-and-loop fasteners, snaps, and other attachment devices known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Supports 105, 505, 605, 812 and the other supports disclosed herein are substantially ridged to maintain the relative position of clips 104, 504, 604 and the other clips disclosed herein in position before and after being clipped to collar leaves of a shirt. Similarly, clips 104, 504, 604, etc. maintain their relative position to hanger bodies 102, 502, 602, etc. so that the collar leaves are held in a fixed position relative to the shoulder portions and other portions of the shirt. As such, there is little, if any, movement of clips 104, 504, 604, etc. as a whole relative to each other and hanger bodies 102, 502, 602, etc. when clips 104, 504, 604, etc. are attached to the collar leaves.

Although the present invention has been illustrated and described herein with reference to preferred embodiments and specific examples, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments and examples may perform similar functions and/or achieve like results. All such equivalent embodiments and example are within the spirit and scope of the present invention, are contemplated and are intended to be covered by this patent. 

1. A hanger for a shirt, the hanger comprising: a hanger body including at least to two rods positioned to support shoulders of a shirt; a hook coupled to the hanger body and configured to support the hanger body; a support extending down from at least one of the hanger body and hook; and a pair of clips coupled to the support.
 2. The hanger of claim 1, wherein the at least two rods define a first plane, the support has a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end is connected to the hanger body, the distal end is connected to the pair of clips, the first plane and the at least one support are not coplanar.
 3. The hanger of claim 1, wherein the hanger body, support, and clips are made of plastic material.
 4. The hanger of claim 1, wherein each of the clips includes a front clip arm and a back clip arm and the back clip arm is configured to press against the front clip arm to clip collar leaves of a shirt therebetween.
 5. The hanger of claim 4, wherein the front clip arm and the back clip arm each have a lower end and an upper end, the upper ends of the front and back clip arms are connected to the distal end of the support opposite to the proximal end of the support, and the distance between the two lower ends of the front and back clip arms increase from an intermediate section of the clips toward an opening of the clips configured to receive the collar leaves.
 6. The hanger of claim 4, wherein a distance between the front clip arms and the back clip arms of the clips first increases and then decrease as the distance nears a distal end of the support.
 7. The hanger of claim 1, wherein the support and the clips cooperate to define an upside-down Y-shape.
 8. The hanger of claim 1, wherein the support is V-shaped having a closed end spaced apart from the hanger body and an open end positioned adjacent to the hanger body.
 9. The support of claim 1, wherein the support is integral with the hanger body.
 10. The support of claim 1, wherein the support is detachable from at least one of the hanger body and the hook.
 11. The support of claim 10, further comprising means for detachable coupling the support to at least one of the hanger body and the hook.
 12. The support of claim 11, wherein the detachable coupling means includes at least one of at least one of a ring and a clasp.
 13. A hanger for a shirt, the hanger comprising: a hanger body including at least to two rods positioned to support shoulders of a shirt; a hook coupled to the hanger body and configured to support the hanger body; a pair of clips configured to clip collar leaves of a shirt; and at least one rigid support positioned to support the clips on at least one of the hanger body and the hook.
 14. The hanger of claim 13, wherein the support is upside-down Y-shaped.
 15. The hanger of claim 13, wherein the support is integral with at least of one of the hanger body and the hook.
 16. The hanger of claim 13, where the support is detachable from at least one of the hanger body and the hook.
 17. The hanger of claim 13, wherein the clips have a predetermined relative position that is substantially maintained when clipped to collar leaves.
 18. A method of supporting collar leaves of a shirt, the method including the steps of providing a hanger configured to support a shirt, the hanger including a hanger body, at least two clips, and a support positioned to support the at least two clips relative to the hanger body; attaching the clips to collar leaves of a shirt; and maintaining the relative position of the clips to the hanger body during the attaching step.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the support is rigid.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein support extends down relative to the hanger body. 